Statewide voter turnout appears to be low

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s top election official says nothing he has seen on Election Day has prompted him to change his projection for a relatively low voter turnout.

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap says turnout has been stronger-than-expected in some places, including Harpswell and Waldoboro, where extra ballots were requested.

But he says that overall turnout will be around 20 percent, just as he projected last week. That’s on the high side for an off-year election, but far below 70 percent in a typical presidential election.

On the ballot are 11 Republican and Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls, as well as a tax overhaul law and four bond packages totaling $108 million.